Avengers vs. X-Men #9 (of 12)Media Release -- The Avengers launch an attack on the X-Men's volcanic prison and Spider-Man finds himself battling the Phoenix-powered X-Men alone in Avengers Vs. X-Men #9 from Marvel Comics, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in August 2012, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

DC Entertainment was August's leading publisher in Retail Dollars, leading Marvel Comics 33.32% to 32.42%. Meanwhile, Marvel Comics edged DC Entertainment on the Unit Market Share for the month, 37.18% to 37.12%.

For the second month in a row, Geoff Johns and Gary Franks' Batman: Earth One, the original graphic novel that reimagines the early days of Batman, was the best-selling graphic novel to retailers.

Based on Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's best-selling Batman: Arkham Asylum video game, Square-Enix's Batman: Arkham Asylum Play Arts ~Kai~: Harley Quinn Action Figure was the best-selling toy product to comic book specialty retailers in August.

Earth's most powerful heroes join the HeroClix campaign with the DC HeroClix: Justice League Expansion from WizKids/NECA, the best-selling games product to comic book specialty retailers in August.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER DOLLAR SHARE UNIT SHARE
DC COMICS 33.32% 37.12%
MARVEL COMICS 32.42% 37.18%
IDW PUBLISHING 5.88% 4.64%
IMAGE COMICS 5.75% 5.37%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.92% 3.89%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 3.19% 3.16%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 1.83% 0.40%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.52% 1.48%
VIZ MEDIA 0.96% 0.41%
ARCHIE COMICS 0.85% 0.82%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 9.35% 5.52%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS UNITS
AUGUST 2012 VS. JULY 2012
COMICS 6.49% 6.38%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 22.13% 19.48%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 11.23% 7.43%
AUGUST 2012 VS. AUGUST 2011
COMICS 19.27% 14.22%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 14.95% 24.74%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 17.80% 15.09%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2012 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2011
COMICS 20.51% 17.97%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 14.13% 12.78%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 18.41% 17.54%

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #9 $3.99 JUN120592-M MAR
2 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #10 $3.99 JUN120599-M MAR
3 BATMAN #12 $3.99 JUN120177-M DC
4 JUSTICE LEAGUE #12 $3.99 JUN120142-M DC
5 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #692 $5.99 JUN120622-M MAR
6 BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH #1 (MR) [*] $3.99 JUN120129-M DC
7 AVX VS #5 $3.99 JUN120590-M MAR
8 BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN #1 (MR) [*] $3.99 JUN120134-M DC
9 GREEN LANTERN #12 $2.99 JUN120196-M DC
10 DETECTIVE COMICS #12 $3.99 JUN120181-M DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN: EARTH ONE HC $22.99 MAR120234 DC
2 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP $9.99 JUL068351 IMA
3 SWAMP THING VOL. 1: RAISE THEM BONES TP $14.99 MAY120280 DC
4 SUPERMAN: ACTION COMICS VOL. 1: SUPERMAN MEN OF STEEL HC $24.99 APR120245 DC
5 BATMAN VOL. 1: THE COURT OF OWLS HC $24.99 JAN120300 DC
6 HULK SEASON ONE PREMIERE HC $24.99 MAY120746 MAR
7 SCOTT PILGRIM VOLUME 1 COLOR HC $24.99 MAY121234 ONI
8 STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS: SITH HUNTERS TP $7.99 APR120041 DAR
9 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 2: MILES BEHIND US TP $14.99 SEP088204 IMA
10 FEAR ITSELF TP $29.99 JUN120721 MAR

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM PLAY ARTS KAI: HARLEY QUINN ACTION FIGURE JAN128132 SQU
2 BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM PLAY ARTS KAI: ARMORED BATMAN ACTION FIGURE JAN128131 SQU
3 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES RETRO COLLECTOR FIGURES APR121769 PLA
4 MARVEL SELECT: AVENGERS MOVIE ENEMY FIGURE JAN121705 DST
5 ALICE: THE MADNESS RETURNS SELECT FIGURE JAN121700 DST
6 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE: DARWYN COOKE APR120307 DC
7 AVENGERS MOVIE: IRON MAN MK VII ARTFX STATUE MAR121684 KOT
8 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE: DICK GRAYSON BY JOCK MAY120346 DC
9 FORBIDDEN PLANET: ROBBY THE ROBOT 12-INCH FIGURE FEB121668 X P
10 MARVEL UNIVERSE ACTION FIGURES JUN121848 HAS

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DC HEROCLIX: JUSTICE LEAGUE APR121984 NEC
2 MARVEL HEROCLIX: CHAOS WAR BOOSTER BRICK APR121987 NEC
3 DOCTOR WHO ACTION BOARD GAME OCT101791 DIA
4 DC HEROCLIX: JUSTICE LEAGUE FAST FORCES 6-PACK APR121985 NEC
5 WONDERLAND BOARD GAME APR121345 ZEN
6 THE WALKING DEAD TV BOARD GAME JUL112137 CRY
7 THE WALKING DEAD COMIC BOARD GAME JUL112185 Z-M
8 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: 2013 CORE SET EVENT DECK APR121978 WIZ
9 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: 2013 CORE SET BOOSTERS APR121977 WIZ
10 PATHFINDER BATTLES: RISE OF THE RUNELORDS BOOSTER BRICK MAY128110 NEC

How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.

Data for Diamond's sales charts — which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world. The account base includes brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, Internet merchants, and other specialty stores.

Unit and dollars sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.

Please note that comics marked with an asterisk have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.

ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing more than 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.